Our New Life
by VioletRose13
Summary: Before the events of "Black Soul". Barnabas Collins decides to build a school from the remains of Collinwood manor, he's married to his one true love, and he is finally part of the Collins family again. But what happens when he and Victoria discover an unexpected surprise?
1. Starting Over

"Is this really what you want to do?" Victoria asked as she and Barnabas stared up at the remains of Collinwood; it was slowly being rebuilt by a construction team from out of town they hired.

"Of course, my love." Barnabas said confidently. "Collinwood must be preserved in some way, so I have decided to turn it into a school."

"But doesn't Collinsport already have a school?"

"It did, but not anymore." Elizabeth chimed in. "It mysteriously burned down a few years back. That's why David and Carolyn are now homeschooled."

Carolyn folded her arms and turned away from her mother with an annoyed grimace in response while David remained silent.

"This school will be different, I assure you. We will make and follow our own rules and guidelines. And the best part is that we can all have a fresh new start, right where it all began." Barnabas said, holding his wife's hand tight.

He and Victoria married a few weeks after the fire at the Collins family cannery in town, Angelique Bouchard's death, and the fire that almost destroyed the family home, but as of now, they couldn't be any happier to finally be together forever. Victoria smiled and affectionately rested her head on her husband's shoulder.

"I don't think I've ever been this happy." She lamented.

"This is only the beginning." Barnabas added, kissing her pale cheek.


	2. A Shocking Discovery

"Are you okay, Vicki? You don't look so good." David questioned.

"What, me?" Victoria said, trying to keep her balance. "Oh, yes. I'm fine. Never better."

"Are you sure? Because you seem a little—"

Before David could say anything else, Carolyn came out of the motel bathroom, fresh from a hot shower wearing a bathrobe and a towel wrapped her head. She gave them a look neither of them could really identify.

"What are you two chattering about?" She asked, sounding sarcastic.

David remained silent and rolled his eyes in annoyance before Victoria's stomach suddenly lurched for no reason. She sat up and quickly headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Carolyn smirked as she and her young cousin heard the sound of their former governess emptying her stomach into the toilet. David winced and tried his best to ignore it.

"That's the _third_ time today." He commented.

"And the twenty-seventh time this week." Carolyn added.

"I think something is seriously wrong with Vicki."

"Barnabas turned her into a vampire. Maybe she's just having a hard time adjusting. It's probably just a monster thing."

"But that was _weeks_ ago. Maybe it's something else. But whatever's wrong, I'm gonna find out what it is."

"Good luck with that."

The door opened and Elizabeth and Barnabas came in; they took off their coats.

"Hey, mom. Hey, Barnabas." Carolyn said casually.

"Any news on the house?" David asked.

"Yes." Elizabeth answered with a smile. "Barnabas and I just talked with the head of construction and he said that we should all be able to move back in by next week if everything goes as planned."

"That's good." David said.

"Yes, master David. It truly is." Barnabas said before he noticed something. "Where is Victoria?"

"Vicki? She's in the bathroom, emptying what was left of her lunch into the toilet." Carolyn replied, pointing a finger at the closed bathroom door.

"Oh dear." Barnabas said, heading towards the bathroom. He knocked on the door. "Victoria?"

"Barnabas? Ugh, please go away." Victoria moaned form the behind the door.

"My sweet, whatever is the matter?"

"I'm just… a little under the weather, that's all. I'm fine."

"You call vomiting four times a day almost _every_ day for the past week 'fine'?" Carolyn whispered to her mother.

"Oh my." Elizabeth muttered.

"Please let me in. I wish to help."

"I don't think there's much you can—" Victoria vomited again.

"I think it's getting worse." David said worriedly.

"Very well, I shall leave you be… for now." Barnabas said, reluctantly walking away from the door; he turned to Elizabeth and gave her a pleading look, hoping for some sort of answer to what's going on.

Elizabeth turned to David and said, "Has Victoria been doing anything else this past week?"

"Well, Vicki's been pretty tired lately; she's been taking naps more often. She also seemed a little off balance, too." The boy replied.

"She's also been a little moody, too." Carolyn added. "Mostly yelling episodes or crying spells, though."

Elizabeth thought and thought before she came to a conclusion. Her eyes widened as she headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Carolyn asked.

"Just to the pharmacy. I'll be right back." Elizabeth answered before grabbing her coat and heading out the door.

"What was that all about?" David asked.

"I know not, master David." Barnabas replied, staring at the bathroom door worriedly.

In less than an hour and a half later, Elizabeth returned with a small plastic bag in her hand. Carolyn was fully clothed and listening to some music, Barnabas and David were playing a card game in another corner, and Victoria was sitting on the bed and reading a book.

"Ah, Victoria." Elizabeth said, approaching her. "I'm glad to see you feeling better now."

"Just a little, but I think I'll be okay." Victoria casually replied. "What's wrong?"

"Can I speak with you for a moment? In private?"

"Um, sure."

And with that Elizabeth and Victoria went outside. After a few moments of awkward silence, Barnabas and David looked at Carolyn who gave them a smirk, and then back at each other.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" David demanded, setting his cards down.

"Do not fret, master David. Everything will be alright." Barnabas replied.

"Oh, really?" Carolyn said sarcastically.

"Carolyn, there's no need for sarcasm." David commented.

She kept quiet and went back to her music before all three of them heard yelling coming from outside. Victoria and Elizabeth's conversation turned from a casual chat to a heated argument on a dime. Carolyn, David, and Barnabas couldn't make out what they were saying, but Barnabas could've sworn he just heard the word 'pregnant'. His eyes widened and he froze. Could it be? How is this…?

'No, no it is not possible. It couldn't be.' He thought. 'Victoria and I cannot possibly have a child of our own… can we?'

The door suddenly opened and Elizabeth came back into the room, breathing heavily. David, Carolyn, and Barnabas each gave her a deer in the headlights look, waiting and hoping for an explanation as to what had just transpired outside. But none came.

"Where's Vicki?" David asked.

"Oh, she just went out for a walk. Down by the ocean." Elizabeth replied. "She probably wanted some fresh air."

Barnabas dropped his set of cards and stood up before heading towards the door.

"Where are _you_ going?" Carolyn asked.

"…Out." Barnabas replied.

But before anyone could say anything else, he was already out the door.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Victoria sighed as she sat on the edge of the dock, looking out towards the ocean. The night sky was clear and the light from the waxing moon reflecting on the water; it was beautiful, but she didn't seem to even notice.

'I can't believe Elizabeth… Am I pregnant?' She thought. 'No, I'm not. Am I? I _can't_ be. It's impossible. Vampires can't conceive. Am I okay with this?'

The truth was that Victoria didn't give much thought to being a mother. Yes, she knew she wanted children… at some point. But she didn't think something like this would happen so fast. She stared at a pregnancy test in her hand; it read positive. Her other hand went down to her stomach; she didn't _feel_ pregnant.

"Do I even look pregnant? I could always ask Barnabas, though he'd probably only say I look beautiful and nothing else." She said to herself.

'Barnabas… Oh god. Will _Barnabas_ be okay with this?'

How would she tell him? How would he react? He'd probably be happy, of course. She knew he wanted to be a father. But now? Right now? When they were married for just a little over a month and they were still waiting for Collinwood to be completely rebuilt? Victoria remembered Elizabeth telling her before she left.

"_Babies happen at the most inconvenient of times. Be prepared. A lot of things change after you find out that you're pregnant."_

"No kidding." Victoria rolled her eyes and clutched the test tighter. "What am I going to tell Barnabas?"

"You could start with telling him that you are with child." She jumped at the sound of another voice and turned to see her husband walking towards her.

Her eyes widened with fear.

"So… _are_ you pregnant?"


	3. It's True

"Barnabas! I-I-I, um…" Victoria stammered, but she couldn't figure out what to say.

"Why are you so worried?" Barnabas said calmly; he approached her and sat down next to her. "Do you not want children?"

"Well… yes, I do. But, but I…" She started; she sighed. "I don't know. I just don't know what to think. I want to have children, but I—"

"We were married not too long ago, were we not?"

"Well… yes. But what does that have to—?"

"Before I was cursed, families were started by couples only a few weeks after they were married."

"But that was the _1770's_; this is the _1970's_. People aren't the same as they were back then."

"Perhaps, but still. You and I are no different." He sat down next to her. "We are just like them. My parents were in their twenties when they had my brother and me."

"You had a brother?"

"Yes. His name was Atticus. He and his wife, Mercedes, had a baby of their own months after their wedding."

"Really?"

"Yes. They had their daughter, my niece, when they just turned thirty. I was still a child by then. Her name was Ophelia."

"That's a very beautiful name."

"Yes, but that is beside the point." He looked her in the eye. "The point is that I truly feel excited and ready to be a father, even if we… have a lot on our plate, as they say."

"A lot on our plate? Pfft, no kidding."

"Victoria, this is hardly the time for jokes. Answer my question, please. Are you pregnant or not?"

Victoria paused and looked at the pregnancy test in her hand before turning back to Barnabas. She reluctantly handed him the test; he gave her a confused look as she turned away.

"This shows it all. Two parallel lines mean 'positive'." She said.

Barnabas carefully read the test and saw the two lines. He looked at her. "So it _is_ true?"

"…I guess it is. I-I mean it is. Yes, it's true." She nodded her head.

He cocked an eyebrow, but wrapped his arm around Victoria's shoulders; he set the test down. "Then why do you worry yourself?"

"I… I… I don't know." Victoria buried her pale face in her claw-like hands and shut her eyes. "I'm sorry, Barnabas. I really am. I guess… I guess I'm just afraid. I know I shouldn't be, but I can't help it. I do want children and I'm really excited that we're having a baby, but… there are so many awful things that could happen. What if I'm not a good mother? What if our baby doesn't love me? What if we _lose_ the baby? What if something goes wrong? What if something happens to me? Or you? W-w-w-what if…?" A tear or two started to fall from her eyes.

"Victoria, calm yourself." Barnabas held his wife's face in his hands and looked her dead in the eye. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "It will be alright. Nothing is going to happen to us."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I don't. But we have already faced things far worse than this; not just you and me, but the rest of the family as well. We have done so many other things before, we can certainly do _this_. We have restored the original Collins family business, we have defeated a witch, and now we are building a school together. I do admit that it may be very hard work, but as long as we are together… we can do anything. We can get through, as long as we are together."

"Together?"

"Together."

He gave her a smile; she smiled back before wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you, Barnabas. I really needed to hear that."

"You are most welcome, my love." Barnabas whispered into her ear. They parted and looked at each other. "We must tell the others at once."

Victoria nodded. "You're right. Let's get back." They stood up and locked arms before walking back in the direction of the hotel. "They're probably wondering what happened to us by now."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"You're what?!" David exclaimed.

"That is right, Master David." Barnabas proudly said. "Victoria and I are having a child."

David turned to look at Carolyn, who gave him a nonchalant smirk.

"Told ya." She said.

Elizabeth remained quiet; she knew her suspicions were right. She smiled and nodded at Victoria, who gave her a shy smirk.

"That's great! When will the baby be here?" David asked.

"I don't know, David." Victoria said. "We're going to have to visit the doctor, probably tomorrow."

"You should visit Dr. Emily Banks." Elizabeth suggested. "She's fantastic."

"Doctor Emily Banks. We will be sure to keep that in mind, Elizabeth. Thank you." Barnabas said. "For now, all we can do is wait."

He pulled Victoria closer to him and kissed the side of her head; he placed a hand on her stomach.


	4. Meeting the Doctor

The next morning, Barnabas and Victoria went to town to visit Dr. Banks. When they arrived at the office, Victoria was visibly nervous about going in but Barnabas gently squeezed her hand and gave her a warm look.

"Do not fret, my love." He said calmly. "If Elizabeth trusts Dr. Banks, then I do too."

"Are you sure?" His wife asked.

"Absolutely, now come."

They walked in and saw that it was just like any normal doctor's office. There was a small waiting room with chairs scattered about, a small table with a few magazines, and a front desk with a middle-aged woman wearing glasses behind it. Victoria and Barnabas approached the desk and the woman looked up from whatever she was doing with a bored look on her face.

"Yes, how can I help you?" She asked.

"My wife and I wish to speak with Dr. Emily Banks." Barnabas answered.

"Have you made an appointment?" The woman asked.

"We need to see her. It's very important." Victoria pleaded.

"If not, then I'm afraid you'll have to come back here when you have. Now if you don't mind, I have things to do." The woman said rudely.

"Things more important than assisting a young couple that need to see a professional physician?" Victoria demanded.

"I'll assist when you've made an appointment with Dr. Banks."

"We need to see her post haste."

"Using big words, huh missy? Do you want me to call the cops?"

"Beverly! That is no way to talk to our clients." A fourth voice sternly said.

Barnabas and Victoria turned their heads to see a woman with short red hair, fair skin, a white coat, a pair of glasses perched on her nose, kind eyes, and a friendly smile standing in a doorway near the desk. She approached the couple and shook their hands.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Banks." She said. "You'll have to forgive my assistant; she's been a little down in the dumps lately." Beverly gave Dr. Banks a deadpan look before going back to whatever she was doing.

"I understand. My name is Barnabas Collins and this is my wife, Victoria." Barnabas said.

"Hello." Victoria added. "Mrs. Elizabeth Stoddard suggested we come to you."

"I see. Well don't worry. Just come with me to the back, we'll get you set up right away." Dr. Banks said as she gestured the couple to follow her.

"Thank you, doctor." Barnabas said as he and his wife walked through the door.

"Of course, Mr. Collins."

She closed the door behind her and directed the couple into her office a few doors down.

"Please, have a seat." Dr. Banks said as she sat down at her desk. Barnabas and Victoria each pulled up a chair and sat down. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well… my wife and I have reason to believe that we might be having a baby." Barnabas frankly replied.

"Really? That's good news."

"Yes, but we're not entirely sure yet. We just came to get a second opinion." Victoria added.

"I see, and that's completely understandable. I'd be more than happy to oblige. Care to tell me your symptoms, Victoria?"

"Oh, of course. I've been feeling pretty tired and dizzy at really awkward times. I've also had quite a few vomiting episodes here and there; the pain is just unbearable. And I think I started getting a little bigger, but I'm just not sure."

Dr. Banks nodded her head before asking, "How long has this been going on for?"

"A couple months, I think. Maybe two or three."

"I see. Have you recently taken a pregnancy test yet?"

"Well, yes but I wasn't sure if I could trust it."

"I see." Dr. Banks got up from her desk and went over to Victoria. "Come with me, Mrs. Collins. I think I can clear this up." She took her hand and led her to the door.

"Where are you taking her?" Barnabas demanded.

"Don't worry, Mr. Collins. I'm just going to run a couple of tests." Dr. Banks calmly answered. "When we come back, we'll have the results. But I must ask you to stay here; this is strictly girl talk. No offense."

"None taken, doctor."

And with that, Victoria and Dr. Banks left the room, leaving Barnabas by himself. After about twenty-five minutes of waiting, they finally returned. Barnabas greeted his wife with a kiss on the cheek as she sat back down.

"What news do you bring, doctor?" He asked.

"Good news, Mr. Collins. Your wife is definitely going to have a baby. Congratulations." Dr. Banks proudly said.

Barnabas looked at Victoria with wide eyes; she gave him a nod, indicating that it was true. He smiled and held her hands in his own.

"I'd say tour roughly almost three months in." Dr. Banks added. "And the baby should be here by late September or early October."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Banks." Barnabas said, shaking the woman's hand.

"You're most welcome." The doctor smiled.

Back in the waiting room, they were discussing future appointments that were to be scheduled as well as payment.

"I think that just about does it." Dr. Banks concluded. "Be sure to come back every few months until the baby is finally born. I'll be sure to keep taps on everything."

"Thank you." Victoria sighed in relief.

"Yes, very much." Barnabas added.

"Of course. I hope you have a wonderful day."

"Thank you. Goodbye."

And they left. Dr. Banks looked back at Beverly with a furrowed brow.

"Why were you so rude to them?" She asked.

"Their kind isn't allowed here." Beverly said blandly.

"Their kind? I don't care who or what they are. I'm here to help them."

"Whatever you wanna tell yourself, boss."

"…One more crack like that and you're out of here."

"What? No, please! This job is all I have."

Dr. Banks rolled her eyes and shook her head.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"So what did she say?" Elizabeth asked as Barnabas and Victoria got into the car.

"It is true." Barnabas answered. "We are going to have a child."

"It'll be due sometime later in the year." Victoria added.

"I see. Then I suppose we'll have to get the manor ready for the baby's arrival… as well as baby-proof the place." Elizabeth joked as she started the car.

Barnabas and Victoria chuckled and held each other close in the back seat as the car started to drive down the road; in a matter of months, the Collins family was going to have a new member.


	5. Time Passes

Barnabas, Victoria, Elizabeth, Carolyn, and David had finally settled back into Collinwood. They spent the next several days redecorating the rooms, preparing classrooms for the school, and even making sure the building and the entirety of the property was safe for the baby when it would arrive.

During that time, Victoria's pregnancy normally progressed. Her stomach gradually became bigger and her morning sickness disappeared, but she also developed sharp mood swings and very peculiar cravings, specifically for the blood of different wild animals. Nobody knew how vampire pregnancies worked in the first place and everyone was very confused, especially Barnabas and Victoria themselves. But they quickly decided that whatever was going to happen, they would deal with it and work through it together no matter what.

One evening, while Victoria was almost five and a half months along, she was sitting on the new sofa and writing something in a small journal with a fountain pen. There was a book sitting open next to her and every so often, she would glance at the book and write something in her journal. Barnabas approached her.

"Good evening, my love." He said, kissing her cheek.

"Evening, Barnabas." Victoria giggled.

"What are you doing?"

"Just making a list of names for the baby."

"I see. May I see the list?"

"I'm not finished with it yet, but okay."

She reluctantly gave him the notebook before he sat down on the sofa next to her. He casually leafed through the pages of the notebook and raised his eyebrows a few times. After a minute, he closed the journal, handed it back to his wife, and looked back at her.

"These are very intriguing and charming names." He said.

"Really?" Victoria asked.

"Yes. Which name do you think would be suitable for our child?"

Victoria placed a hand on her stomach. "That's what I'm trying to find out. There are so many names for boys _and_ girls; I honestly don't know which one to choose, especially since we don't even know what the baby is going to be yet."

Barnabas smiled at his wife, scooted closer to her, and placed his hand upon hers. "How about we choose names together? One for a girl and one for a boy?"

"Hmmm… okay. Any ideas?"

Barnabas scratched his chin in deep thought before coming up with something. "How about Talia, Cassandra, or Bronwyn?"

"Maybe, but I don't know. What about Natalie? I've always liked that name."

"Not bad at all."

"Or maybe Laura? Or Astrid or _Josette_?"

Barnabas froze. His future child being named after his lost love from centuries ago; he didn't know what to make of it. On one hand, it would be a sort of honor, but on the other hand it could also be pretty awkward not only for himself, but for his wife and child, too. He looked back at Victoria.

"Perhaps Josette could be a proper middle name." He said.

"Okay, dear. Whatever makes you happy." Victoria said before getting an idea. "Oh! How about Isabelle?"

"Isabelle Collins? …I like the sound of that." Barnabas said with a smile. "Now what about boy names?"

"Okay, maybe Kenneth?" Victoria suggested.

"No. Perhaps Joshua, after my father."

"Eh no, I don't think so. Sorry."

"Then what about Raphael? He was my favorite artist of the Italian Renaissance."

"Raphael doesn't sound bad. Or would you rather our baby be named Leonardo, Donatello, or Michelangelo?"

Barnabas laughed before he had another idea. "How about Henry?"

"Henry Collins? Hmmm… I like it."

"Isabelle for a girl and Henry for a boy. Perfect."

They snuggled closer together just when Victoria let out a small gasp. She quickly sat up and clutched her stomach with both hands.

"My love, what is the matter?" Barnabas asked, concerned something was wrong with his wife and child.

"Nothing, Barnabas." Victoria said; she turned to face him, only for him to realize that she was smiling. "Give me your hand."

Barnabas hesitantly did as he was told. He offered his hand to Victoria, she took it, and placed it on the curve of her belly. After a long moment of silence, he felt something underneath his hand. It was a kick. His eyes widened in surprise and awe. He looked back at Victoria and smiled at her' she smiled back before she pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Then they parted.

"Is the baby hungry?" Barnabas asked as he stood up from the sofa.

"I think so." Victoria awkwardly answered.

"What will it be this time?"

"…Squirrel and raccoon."

"Very well."

He then walked off to go hunt the animals she requested; it was almost a nightly routine for him, but he didn't care as long as his wife and child were happy.


	6. The Arrival

It was early October and the grand opening for Collinsport High School was fast approaching… and so was Victoria's due date. By now, Collinwood was ready for anything and everything; classrooms and dorms were set up, teachers were hired, and a date was set for the grand opening. And soon, that date came.

It was a cool autumn evening. Cars were pulling into the driveway of Collinwood and people were starting to gather at the entrance. Barnabas stood tall and proud in the very front, waiting to cut the ribbon and officially open the school; the rest of the Collins family stood off to the side.

"Good evening, people of Collinsport." Barnabas announced through a microphone. "I know this may seem rather strange and unorthodox to host the grand opening in October when the school year has already begun, but nevertheless I am ever so proud to present to you the new Collinsport High School."

And with that, he cut the ribbon with the large scissors he was holding and everyone applauded and cheered. Barnabas smiled; he had never felt this proud before. Elizabeth, Carolyn, David, and Victoria smiled and clapped as well… until Victoria's smile twisted into a frown and her eyes widened. She clutched her stomach and scrunched up her face, trying not to scream.

"Vicki? Is everything okay?" David asked, sounding worried.

"Dear, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked.

Victoria's face turned even whiter than usual as she whispered something into Elizabeth's ear. Her expression immediately changed from confused to panic. She quietly headed over to Barnabas.

"Um, Barnabas? We… have a problem." Elizabeth whispered before telling him what Victoria told her.

Barnabas's eyes widened and he nearly gasped in shock before making his way over to his beloved wife. He quickly noticed the pained look on her face; he knew exactly what was going on. Their baby was ready to be born… NOW.

"What's going on?" David asked.

"We have to get to the hospital!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"NO TIME!" Victoria shrieked, breathing heavily.

"We must get her inside!" Barnabas said.

"Should we call someone?" Carolyn asked.

"Yes, Carolyn. Go call Dr. Banks, we need her." Elizabeth said as she watched Barnabas escort his wife into the house as gently as possible.

"On it!" Carolyn ran inside to find a phone.

Elizabeth looked back at the crowds of people who were watching in surprise. She glared at the Sheriff, silently telling him to get them out of there.

"Uh, alright! There's nothing to see here, folks! You can all go home now! This is a Collins family matter! Go on, go home! All of you!" The Sheriff said into his radio; the rest of the police escorted everyone off of the property just as Elizabeth and David ran inside.

"Vicki is really having her baby? _Now_?" David asked, shutting the doors.

"Yes, David." Elizabeth answered.

Carolyn ran up to them. "I just called the doctor and she's on her way right now."

"Good."

"So what can _we_ do to help?" David asked.

"Until Dr. Banks gets here, we need to prep this place. Where did Barnabas and Vicki go?"

"Somewhere upstairs, I think." Carolyn answered.

"Okay. We need fresh water and clean towels, stat!" Elizabeth barked.

"I'll go get water!" Carolyn said before running off.

"And I'll find some towels!" David chimed in, running away in a different direction.

"Good. Now go, go, GO! Barnabas and Vicki need us!" Elizabeth commanded before heading upstairs to find the vampire couple.

Within a matter of minutes, Dr. Banks had arrived with as much equipment as she could carry as well as a somewhat young looking nurse named Jackie; she looked to be in her twenties. The two of them met up with Carolyn in the foyer; she was holding an empty bucket in one hand.

"Dr. Banks, you made it. Thank goodness." Carolyn breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry if I'm late. I left my office as soon as I hung up the phone." Dr. Banks said. "Now, where are Mr. and Mrs. Collins?"

"Upstairs somewhere, I'm not sure. My mom will probably lead you to them."

"Thanks, dear. Come on, Jackie."

"Are you sure about this, doctor?" Jackie asked nervously.

"Hey, this will be a good learning experience for you. Now, come on! There's a couple that needs our help!"

Dr. Banks grabbed Jackie by the wrist and led her up the staircase as fast as possible.

"…Good luck." Carolyn muttered before running off to get fresh water.

When Dr. Banks and Jackie made it to the top of the stairs, Elizabeth was standing there, a look of panic on her face.

"Dr. Banks! Thank God you're here! Vicki and Barnabas need you!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"It's okay, Elizabeth. Where are they?" The doctor asked.

"They're right in here." Elizabeth answered before pushing the door to one of the guest bedrooms.

Victoria was already lying in bed with Barnabas at her side, holding her hand tightly; her eyes were wide with pain and terror, her breathing was heavy, and she was sweating profusely. Barnabas looked to see Dr. Banks.

"Doctor, thank the stars you have come so quickly." He said.

"No problem, Mr. Collins." Dr. Banks said, opening up her bag and rummaging through it.

"I have the towels!" David said, running into the room.

"And I have the water!" Carolyn added, following after her cousin.

"Thanks, kids. Now you can just set those down next to me, I'll make good use of them."

They did as they were told.

"Okay. Now that I have everything I need, the rest of you are going to have to leave."

"What? Why?" David asked.

"Don't question the doctor, David. She knows what she's doing." Elizabeth said as she ushered her daughter and nephew out the door.

"Thanks, Elizabeth. And don't worry; I'll take care of everything." Dr. Banks said just before the door closed.

"Should Mr. Collins leave, too?" Jackie asked, wiping sweat from Victoria's forehead with one of the towels.

"NO! Don't you DARE kick him out!" Victoria screamed in anger. "Barnabas stays with me, no matter what! I need him!"

"Do not fear, my love. I am not going anywhere." Barnabas reassured his wife; she gave him a smile before she felt another contraction.

"Uh… okay, then." Jackie quickly said.

"We need to act fast." Dr. Banks said, tying her hair back and putting on a pair of latex gloves.

Elizabeth led Carolyn and David back downstairs to the foyer to wait. Minutes slowly bled into hours and the hours seemed to drag on; Elizabeth was pacing the floor in a frantic state, David had fallen asleep on the sofa a long time ago, and Carolyn was sitting on the floor trying to read a fashion magazine, but she couldn't focus on it. She could hear the pained screams of Victoria coming from the second floor and they were driving her crazy.

"Ugh! This is taking _forever_." She muttered, running a hand through her hair and throwing the magazine to the side.

"Oh, this suspense is _killing_ me!" Elizabeth said, not paying attention to anything else around her. "I hope everything's alright up there. They've been at it for a very long time."

"But, uh… Dr. Banks has done this sort of thing before, hasn't she, mom?"

"Yes, a dozen times, I believe. I remember she even delivered you and David." Elizabeth started to calm down; she approached her daughter. "You're right, Carolyn. I'm sure Dr. Banks knows what she's doing. Everything will be fine… even though I'm pretty certain she has never delivered a _vampire_ baby before."

"Oh boy…"

Suddenly, a loud high-pitched cry from upstairs made Elizabeth and Carolyn jump; it even jolted David awake. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up.

"What… what's going on now?" He asked.

"You hear that?" Carolyn asked.

David and Elizabeth remained silent until they heard what Carolyn heard. It sounded like crying; it was high-pitched and very loud. They all looked at each other, realizing what just happened… The newest member of the Collins family was finally here. Thinking fast, they ran up the stairs back to where Barnabas and Victoria were. But before they could enter, Dr. Banks came out; her hair was a mess, her clothes and hands were completely covered in blood, and she almost looked like she lost a fight with an angry cat. Jackie followed soon after, only her face was as white as a sheet and she looked like she had just seen a ghost; she disappeared down the stairs, eager to get as far away from that room as possible. Dr. Banks heaved a heavy breath and took off her blood-soaked gloves.

"Any news?" Elizabeth nervously asked.

To their surprise, Dr. Banks didn't look terrified or angry; she remained absolutely calm… which only made them even more scared.

"It's okay, everyone. I bring good news." She said with a big smile. "Victoria is going to be fine."

"And what about the baby?" David asked.

"The baby… is a healthy, beautiful little girl." Dr. Banks beamed.

Elizabeth, Carolyn, and David gave each other looks of pure shock and confusion, unsure of what to say.

"And… you have nothing else to say about any of this?" Carolyn asked.

"Of course not. But don't worry; your secret's safe with me." The doctor gave them a wink. "Now where can I go to get myself cleaned up?"

"Oh, uh… there's a bathroom down the hall, first door to your left." Elizabeth said, pointing to her right.

"Thanks. Now would any of you like to go in and see the baby? Just be very quiet." Dr. Banks said before heading towards the bathroom.

David, Elizabeth, and Carolyn nervously poked their heads into the room. There, they saw Victoria sitting up in bed and holding a little bundle in her arms, Barnabas was sitting next to her with a proud smile on his face. Victoria looked up and her face lit up.

"You're here. Come in, all of you." She whispered.

The three of them slowly approached the bed, trying to stay quiet. They stopped at the bed.

"Uh… is everything okay in here?" Carolyn asked with a nervous grin.

"We are fine, Carolyn… and so is our little girl." Barnabas said with a chuckle, looking down at the baby resting in his wife's arms.

Carolyn, David, and Elizabeth looked down to see a peaceful, sleeping baby. She had a pale face and dark hair, just like her father; she was probably the most adorable vampire they have ever seen.

"Wow." Carolyn whispered in awe.

"She's so small." David commented.

Elizabeth wiped a few tears from her eyes before asking, "So… what's her name?"

"Her name is Isabelle Josette Collins." Victoria replied proudly.

"That's the perfect name." Elizabeth beamed.

"She's so adorable. Congratulations, you guys." Carolyn smiled.

"Aww. Welcome to Collinsport, Isabelle." David grinned.

Barnabas and Victoria nuzzled each other affectionately before sharing a kiss; they knew right away that their daughter was going to do great things and that no matter what happens, they will always be together.


End file.
